With You
by CaptainFrosty
Summary: What if Killian Jones accompanied Emma and Henry to New York? A multi-chapter fic about their tiny life in New York, and trying to find their way back.
1. Chapter 1

**So, um, this is a new little story that I have thought of, if Killian went with Emma to New York. I hope you like it!  
****Read, review, favourite and follow!**

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With a heavy heart and one smooth glance around herself, Emma placed her hand on the curve of the bug door and ducked her head down to seat herself onto the cool car-seat. Beside her, Henry was mirroring her actions with a rather stiff look on his features, and it dawned on Emma that he was probably as scared as she was about this whole situation. Not that he had the burden of choosing to leave behind their family - He was, of course, forced to stay in this world, unlike Emma.

For a few seconds, the blonde just watched her brunette son, a glazed look on her face. It seemed only a week ago that the young boy had come knocking on her apartment door in the middle of the night, and within that metaphorical week, it seemed as if he had grown a year every single day. Gone was the rounded face and short limbs - He had grown long and thin, with more pronounced features. Even the shaggy mop of hair had disappeared, morphing its way into a well-kept slick hairstyle.

Seeing him like his made her heart ache. Sure, she was ecstatic that she had been here for the few years since her 28th birthday, and that she could be consumed by the rush of surprise that he had grown so much over such a little period of time. But she yearned for those days when he was just a tiny baby, and for those little moments that she had missed - His first steps, his first word, holding him in her arms as he drifted off to sleep in the cradle of her elbow. Those tiny scenes of life that you held most dearest, and that you would treasure for the rest of your life.

When she was first pregnant, it had come as such a shock that she never really thought there was any other option than giving him up. After all, how could she care for him? She was in jail, which was a start. That couldn't be good for anyone, to know that they were birthed behind bars. Secondly, how would she get any support? It wasn't the fact that she had to care for him on her own - Emma had pretty much lived her whole life being independent. But the money. She didn't have more than fify dollars that she kept stored in the bug for safe-keeping, which certainly wasn't enough to care for a young child.

There was always the possibility of stealing, but that would be made ten times harder with a son to watch out for. It wasn't like she had anyone to care for him whilst she went out to gather their goods - It just wasn't an option. The pressure was so heavy on Emma that, really, the only current choice was to give him up. It seemed blatantly obvious in those long nine months.

But Emma knew that was wrong now. God, she wished she could just go back in time and changed her decision. Had she known what she knew now, she would have just kept him and dealt with it. She'd do something - Anything - and at least have her son to hold in the night. She'd scour and scavenge, hunting through the city for enough to support the family of two, just to be able to give him all of the love he deserved from his biological mother.

God knows that was all Emma really wanted through the long time that she was stuck in the foster system - Just having a family. It was simple knowledge that the feeling was mutual with her parents. All they wanted was to have her in their arms, yet she was ripped away by the curse. And now she was leaving them - Again. To a curse. Again. Abandoning them to go back to god knows where, to live their lives once more with her far, far away. Again. It was a rather depressing thought.

Shaking her head, Emma chastised that little voice in her head that always seemed to blame her. It wasn't her fault that she was leaving them - It was bloody Peter Pan that had done this to them. The curse was rolling steadily towards them, but the blonde just ignored it for the time being. She was too busy arguing with herself, like a devil and an angel on her shoulders - One side of her telling herself that it wasn't her fault, and that she should forgive herself. The other side screaming at her that it's all her fault, and to just leave the boy and be with her parents, like she did want to for so many years.

With those thoughts, Emma glanced behind her at the group of people gazing at the yellow bug. Her heart ached at the sense of sadness and depression that seemed to stalk around them all, and the heaviness in their eyes. Emma didn't expect them all to be sad for the leaving of her. She was nothing special to most of them, save a select few that always cared for her. Henry, on the other hand, seemed to be loved by all of Storybrooke, and it was blatantly obvious that he would be sorely missed by them all.

Her eyes zoned in on a couple that were standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Prince Charming and Snow White, also known as David Nolan and Mary-Margaret Blanchard. It hit her that they would probably be one of the few that would be heavily hit with the loss of their daughter and grandson. It was written all over their faces, despite both struggling to put on a brave face. The burden in their eyes was something that could not be shadowed by mere will-power, and with that thought a little part of herself withered away.

On the other hand, Killian Jones seemed to be trying very little, if at all, to mask his emotions, as was always with him. Jaw slack and eyes wide, the panic that the situation was really happening seemed to be dawning on the pirate. It seemed to be taking all his strength not to just run and keep her from leaving, abandon Henry to his own devices and just be greedy. But beneath that panic of all three, all of the horror and desperation, there was a layer of something that was completely foreign to the woman.

And that something was love.

Every single day that piece of knowledge slammed into her heart, making it throb and thud as if she had just sprinted a marathon. Love had never really been a big part of her life. Of course, she knew it existed, but a long time ago she had begun to wonder if it would ever reach her through the wall of her history. She had, obviously, felt a sample of the big picture during her time with Neal, but it was never as strong as many described it to be. Not the fireworks and dancing light and never-ending energy rush that was always told in the tales of love.

Ever since her breaking the curse and restoring their memories, all she has ever felt was love. Not the weak kind of love - The strong, groundbreaking sort of love that made you almost choke with the emotions that were building up inside of you. It was never an aspect to foster life. In the system, you just had to focus on getting by and dealing with the situation you had. There were no luxuries like the love that normal children raised by kind parents got - No, it was mere survival.

All of this just made her feel heavier with the burden of having to leave them all, that she had to leave this loving family that she had _finally_ reached, whom would be snatched away just as fast. _No, Emma. You have to do this - You can't leave Henry. This is what you need to do._ The mantra rang dull in her ears. She didn't want to leave her son - obviously - but she didn't want to leave her parents... UGH. Why was this so hard?

Heavily, Emma clicked the key within the ignition, and the bug shuddered into life. The sound of her starting up was a sound that she had connected to so many emotions in her life - Comfort, a place to hide, a place that she can just disappear and never be found again. It was a place that she knew would always be her real home - Forever, and always. A little part of her lived within that car. She moved to put it into motion, sharing a soft sad smile with her son, that probably looked more like a grimace from her side.

She was stopped from pressing her foot on the accelerator when she heard a soft sound of a muffled shout behind her. Looking in the rear view mirror, she saw everyone staring at someone that was just out of her view, and confusion ran its way through her body, only to be replaced by a strange sensation of anger. She was _this _close to leaving, and they were just delaying the bloody inevitable! Emma practically kicked the car door open, leaping out to glare at the group.

" Oh, come on! Look, I am about to leave, we are about to be swallowed by the bloody curse, so if I could get a move on, that'd be wonderful! I really don't want this to last any longer than it has to, so if you could all just shut up, it'll make this whole situation ten times better than it seems to be right now! " The blonde pretty much roared.

The group seemed to be completely still in the shock that their beloved Saviour had just yelled at them - Which wasn't really rare or surprising at all -, and it took several moments for someone to actually move. Not surprisingly, that someone was Killian Jones, who took a step forward, opening his mouth after a moment of hesitation to speak. " I want to come with you. " His words were loud in the silence of them all, only accompanied by the soft rumbling of the curse behind them.

" And I disagree! " Charming barked almost immediately, taking a long step to be almost chest-to-chest with the pirate, shoving a finger into his face. " She is strong enough that she needn't be accompanied, especially not by the likes of you! " He growled, and Killian frowned deeply, opening his mouth to reply, only to be stopped by a bark demanding then to quieten by Emma.

" Oh, will you both just _shut up_?! " She snarled, and the two immediately snapped their mouths shut, looking at her with identical expressions on their face. Those expressions told her that they'd do anything for her - Would go to the end of the world to defend her. A little jolt of fondness stuttered through her heart, and her features softened considerably, mind opening up to the possibility of what Killian had suggested.

" Regina, " Emma sighed, turning to the short-haired brunette who seemed a little bit surprised that she had been put on the spot. " Is it possible? " The Queen's gaze flickered distrustfully to the pirate who was standing there, looking all the world like an innocent and hopeful young boy. It was quite obvious she didn't trust Henry with the dark-haired male, despite the fact he had almost risked his life trying to save him only days earlier. " Well... There is nothing against it... "

She opened her mouth to say something else, obviously to voice her distaste for the pirate to accompany the two, but Killian was already trotting happily towards the other car door of the bug, a happy grin threateningly to split his face into two. " Hold on, " David growled, and the walking male stopped instantly, his smile falling into an annoyed pout. " Just because it's possible doesn't mean it should _happen_. "

Killian put on a little half-hearted smirk. " Dave, mate. You know I would protect her with my own bloody life. I hope you have no doubts about that? " He asked it as more of a question, and the blonde blinked, staring at him for several moments. Nobody said anything over a small period of time, and finally the prince gave a nod. He seemed to have seen something within his intense gaze, which baffled the Saviour { what was with Storybrooke and being able to read people so well? Was it something in the water? }, that settled his worried mind. " Alright. " He rumbled, taking a step back.

Killian gave him a thankful smile - perhaps a touch confused, considering only moments earlier he was intent on _not_ letting him go - and a nod to the other man, then turned to Emma, in which his grin split into a happy beam. " Shall we, m'lady? " He asked cheerfully, indicating to the car, and she just rolled her eyes in amusement, climbing into her side of the car. After a couple of minutes arguing with Henry on whom would ride shotgun - ' I was in here first! ' ' Aye, but I'm older ' ' That's not fair! ' ' It seems rather fair to me, lad. ' - the one-handed alcoholic slid into the seat beside the amused woman, who shifted the car into gear, driving over the town line.

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" That. Was. The. Best. Convention. EVER! " Henry cried cheerfully, leaning forward in his seat, hands on the chairs in front of him. " Henry, back in your seat please, lad. " Killian rumbled, turning his head towards the back, but a grin was on his face. " And I agree with your statement completely. " The Irishman chuckled after a moment of the boy settling back into his plush seat, and Emma gave a nod. " Absolutely. However, I think we can all agree Killy's outfit was the best part of the trip. " She smirked as the brunette frowned at the use of his unwanted nickname, but he beamed with pride. Dressing up as his own version of Captain Hook { He was obsessed with the Disney villain } was probably the best idea he'd had in several years. Aside from asking the blonde out to a date, of course.

" Mm. I disagree, lass. I believe it was the biscuits that Mad Hatter was handing out. " Killian licked his lips at the memory, and Emma shook her head. " Killian, it's cookies. We call them cookies. "  
" I say biscuits. "  
" I say cookies. "  
" Biscuits. "  
" Cookies. "  
Henry gave a loud groan at the argument that had been rather constant for the two years the two had been a couple. " WHO CARES?! "


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I'm blown away by the response to this story! You guys are SO amazing!  
****I'm sorry the updates aren't quicker - And they probably won't be. I do have school, and I do sleep, and I have this way that I force myself into writing half-decent long stuff that really takes forever and a day. Long story short, updates will take about a week or a bit less - So, your best bet is every Wednesday/Thursday and Sunday? I dunno, I'm not making any promises.  
I love you guys! This little story is just sort of setting up the foundations for their little life which will play a big part in this story! I'm not entirely sure about this one, actually, but yea. Just try it.**

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Emma Swan was having a nightmare. Now, don't get me wrong - She was one that often had nightmares. Her past had certainly put a bit of a downer onto her dreaming regime, and haunting flashes of images often panicked her into consciousness more nights than not. But this seemed different - It wasn't terrifying memories formed into twisted abstract versions of reality, generally about the more abusive foster parents. No, this was more about her drifting in space and fog, surrounded by a horrible sensation of hopelessness and loss. Confusion swarmed her consciousness, and the feeling that she had been left, torn away from her loved ones, was heart-wrenchingly strong.

All of a sudden, images began flashing from beneath her fluttering eyelids. _Henry, as only a young boy of around about 10, smiling up at her from within the doorframe of an unfamiliar apartment block. A red dress with her golden locks, and a baffled look on her features. A shining metal hook perched atop the thick stump of an arm. A graceful swan, a blood red apple, a male around her age with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. A tall brunette disappearing, only to be replaced by silver wolf. A sign, in which she could only make out the word ' Granny's '._

Emma gave a loud gasp as she was suddenly jolted awake, shaking faintly. The images had disappeared, and were quickly fading away from her consciousness. She began trying to grasp them back hoping to put the pieces of this strange cryptic puzzle together, but soon most of them had gone. But the sensation of loneliness and hopelessness was still lingering around, which baffled her beyond belief. Even in her times when she was shaking at a foster home, wishing she was in a better place, had she never felt it this strong. Almost as if she'd lost something, instead of wishing for something that she'd never had. Trying to grasp reality, she registered a strong hand-less arm curled around her stomach.

Slowly, Emma let her mind drift off, and soon it landed on the sad tale of how her Killian had lost his hand. He was in the Marines many years ago - Not anymore. Not after what happened - and had lost his hand to some sort of gunfire. She really didn't know the finer details of the story, considering Killian couldn't really say much of it without a few glasses of wine, then he began slurring to such amounts that the rest of the tale is just gambled strings of incoherent sentences.

She had narrowed it down that the hesitation to tell this story wasn't connected to the loss of his hand. No, it was the loss of his brother, his ' stubborn arse of an older brother '. He had apparently saved Killian from a more dead-like state, sacrificing himself for the sake of his younger brother, so that he'd just lost a hand and not his life. When Emma had first met Killian, he was a lot darker than the loving person he was now. A broken heart - And the two of them kindred spirits.

Emma liked to think that she was the one that had picked up the pieces, and she knew for a fact that Killian was ecstatic that he was the one that put her back together, made her whole again. He constantly said it, in those small moments when they bared their heart to each other, searching for - and always surprising her when she can't find - the sensation that she should perhaps not do this. That primal instinct that she needed to bolt, to escape from the horror show that was her current situation. Of course, it was still sort of there { some things cannot merely fade from existence, even with someone alike Killian } but notably weaker.

Killian gave a little grumble, as if something was waking him up, as if her gaze was something that could substitute for an alarm clock. But he was still in a deep slumber - when he was truly awake, he opened his eyes, as if alert for some form of danger. Marines stuff, she supposed -, and merely nuzzled his nose into the pillow. Emma had to fight with all her might to avoid swooning, but her lips still fell into a pout as she wondered on how he could look so goddamn adorable, and pull off a half-decent appearance with that messy bed-hair.

" Take a picture, lass - It'll last longer. " A low voice mumbled, and the blonde gave a jolt of surprise, focusing her gaze to see the bright blue optics of a single opened eyelid, the corner of his mouth curved up into a small smirk. Emma blushed faintly at being caught staring at him, but then reminded herself that alongside having been together for a good two and a half years, he didn't mind an ego stroking. So, really, she had free staring rights - But that still didn't mean she wanted to fluff his already over-sized ego.

Suddenly, the dark-haired male frowned. " Lass? Did you have a nightmare? Tell me about it. " He sat up, leaning on his good arm and shifting forward to watch her features. For a moment, she blinked, surprised he had guessed so accurately, and how he was so definite on his reading to say it so surely. She didn't think that she appeared agitated - Did she? Oh. _Right_. He had stated on numeral occasions that she was somewhat an open book to him - which sort of irritated her - and this was obviously one of those moments. Damn.

Emma took a deep, slightly shuddering breath in, then exhaled slowly. " Well, " She started slowly. " It was sort of like the normal nightmares - But it wasn't. " She snatched a glance at him, but he was merely nodding along. He had heard the tale of the nightmares that mainly haunted her sleeping hours several times, usually being the one to comfort her, so ' normal ' was an easily understood description between the two. " It felt like I was lonely, as always, but it was different. It was like I left something behind. Like I lost something that I can hardly live without. "

" Well, you're awake now, love. " Killian mumbled, kissing her shoulder, and she turned her head to look at him. For a moment, she frowned. There was something in his dark depths - Something alike... Recognition? She tilted her head, trying to figure it out, but it was gone as soon as it had come, replaced by the joy of his dazzling smile. " Well, lass, if my instincts are accurate, I daresay we have about half an hour before the alarm- "

He was broken off by an obnoxious beeping sound, and he hung his head, touching his forehead to her shoulder which was shaking with not-so-suppressed laughter. " I was proven wrong. " Killian growled, then flopped back down onto the mattress and snuggling in. " Turn that blasted thing off, will you darling? " He asked airily, as if he had every right to stay in for as long as he wished to.

" Oh no you don't. I need to get up and have my cocoa before I get cranky, and I am not getting up without you. " Emma hissed, pulling on his bicep half-heartedly, but the Irishman just gave a little whimper. " Mmf. Don't want to. " He grumbled, however his voice was slightly hesitant. It was a proven fact that she becomes a cyclone of a bad mood when she doesn't have her hot cocoa with cinnamon within an hour of waking. A smile struggled to grace her lips at the realisation that it would be simple to convince him with that thought planted in his mind.

" How about... If you get up, you'll get your pancakes with whipped cream and maple syrup. " She trailed off, because he's suddenly out of bed and pulling on a pair of shorts { she swore that if Henry wasn't here, he'd be walking around the apartment naked. Not that she would be complaining, of course. }, suddenly as chipper as a bluebird ready to sing its morning tune. He turned his mischievous gaze on Emma, smirking. " Lass! " He cried in mock exasperation. " Get up, will you? It's already - " He leaned back to check the time on the alarm. " Seven thirty! "

After a small roll of her eyes, the blonde gave a loud yawn and swung her legs over the side of the mattress and stretching, watching the Irishman out of the corner of her eye. He was acting like Henry, bouncing from one foot to the other, giving off little annoyed sounds. " I want my pancakes... " He grumbled sheepishly at her questioning look, so Emma just patted his arm as she passed him and walked out into the hallway. A millisecond later, she was bombarded by a small jumping figure, begging for pancakes. " What is with this family and pancakes? " She whispered to herself, shaking her head.

Five minutes later, Killian and Emma were doing the Dance of The Kitchen. A rather fluent dance it was - Practised many times, with several faults that were gradually smoothed over. The steps had needed to be perfected, depending on what theme it was danced to - pancakes, waffles, bacon and eggs, stuffed mushrooms with cheese - but it generally went like this; Stove, pans, cupboards, fridge, spin, crack eggs, spin, kiss on the cheek, quip about the whisking, oven, stove, pouring, waiting, waiting, another quip about Emma's bedhair, and finally, for a grand finale; Food. An elegant waltz.

It was almost humorous how in-sync they were. It was exactly like that when they'd first met. That was pretty much the only thing they really remembered of that time. Funnily enough, none of them - including Henry - really know how they met, only that it was a tale of gradual love. It was as if they were suddenly in each other's lives, or as if someone just didn't have enough time to write that part of their story. And Emma didn't really question it, which was especially strange, considering her tendency to never leave anything unquestioned. Killian, on the other hand - Well, she just reckoned he was taking what he got from her. The lovesick bugger.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud " Well... " by Henry, in which she turned to with an already-annoyed expression. Being a mother, she knew exactly what was coming. " I have this massive headache that I woke up to, and... " He trailed off, seeing her unamused-but-sort-of-amused look, and thought over his excuses. " I heard that there was this kid in my school who's going to go on a spree of taking kid's lunch money... " The child tried, voice weak.

" Whatever your excuse, lad - It's a big N. O. " Killian rumbled over his shoulder as he scrubbed at a plate. " Going to school is important for your adulthood. You'll make more friends every day, find a possible career, and become a whole lot smarter. Like me. Use me as a role model. Me, the handsome, smart and wonderful Killian Jones. " The raven-haired adult smirked, and both his girlfriend and her son shot him a ' bitch please ' look.

" Alright, fine. " Henry huffed, dragging his bag melodramatically onto his shoulder and, with one fleeting glance to see if they would change their mind, disappeared behind the wall towards the door. After a moment of silence, listening to the door open, his voice floated in. It was soft, and tentative, and rather frightful. " Um, mum? K-Killian? Someone's at the door. " He whispered.

Both adults shared a rather alarmed look, and hurried over to the doorway, where Henry took a long step backwards into their line of defense. Almost in the frame of their door was a figure, their eyes trained on the small family. " Who the hell are you? " Killian hissed, squaring his shoulders, and Emma had to try with all her might not to swoon at that moment of protectiveness. Jesus Christ, she turned into a teenager with this man! " That doesn't matter. Emma, your family need you. You need to come with me. "

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**So? What do you think?  
To be perfectly honest, I have no idea who is going to come and save them! If you have someone you'd like, send it in with a review or even PM me if you want to!  
This is unbeta'd, by the way, so sorry if there were any typos or things that didn't make sense.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, I did say Sunday, and here we are! Yay, I feel so proud. So, when I asked you guys who you wanted to save them, most of you said Belle or Regina or Robin. Good ideas - But someone else said a different character, with a suggestion of how to get Killian's memories back. I decided that it was a brilliant idea, so here we are. Introducing; Killian, Henry and Emma's savior!  
{ Also, to that person that said there isn't enough dialogue - Well, I dunno how you'll think about this one. Hoping it's enough! }**

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David Nolan had been a part of 2 curses – The one that had moved him from the Enchanted Forest, and the one back to it. But it seemed there was a lack of difference between the two, apart from the destination. They both had that same rapid-fire light in the back of his eyelids, which caused his eyes to feel like they were melting and his head to pound harshly. They both set his nerves alight, a tingling sensation rippling through his body, tickling so lightly it was almost painful. And they both stopped as soon as the curse had zapped them to where it wanted them to be, leaving him to wonder if it were just a hallucination, and irrationally hoping to feel it again just to know that he wasn't going insane.

He wasn't neglecting the irony of the whole situation. It was pretty much the whole previous curse, however in reverse. Instead of heading to the World Without Magic, he was heading to the Enchanted Forest. Almost as if the whole thing hadn't happened, if only for them all to forget their time within the World Without Magic. There was one thing that hadn't changed, however – His baby girl was being ripped away from his arms once more, and there was nothing he could about it. Damn.

After taking a slow moment to figure out where he was mentally, he let his eyes open. He cringed at the sudden bright light of the Enchanted Forest { Wonderful weather, as always. } and blinked several times to get his bearings. Everyone was around him in a swarm, and his gaze began sliding over every single one, counting them and making sure they were there. Grumpy, Snow, Regina, Belle, Granny, all to be expected, as well as Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip who were staring at them with looks of shock. Well, minus Emma, Killian and Henry, however. With that thought, the whole situation seemed a little heavier all of a sudden.

When his heart began to slow down from its body-shuddering thudding, he let his mind register the little details that really didn't matter. An annoying habit he'd gotten in his time with his mother, Ruth. Being a farmboy, he'd needed to note all the little things about the animals within the flurry, like how many had escaped from the hole one of them had created, and which one needed to be separated by the others, because it had decided to bully some of the younger lambs. That ingrained habit caused him to realise that they were all dressed up in their previous clothing. Snow was wearing her white nightgown, the dwarves in their tailored outfits, Regina in her Evil Queen get-up.

David gave a frown. If everyone had their old outfits, then that must mean…. He glanced down at his own, and gave a gulp as he saw his shirt. It was bright white, almost flawless, apart from his shoulder and side. In those places, where the sword of Regina's men had pierced, was a bright crimson red. The fabric was ripped open to reveal a wound that had long closed over, a mere white scar. His mind began swirling – He had avoided these memories like the plague, for they were arguably some of the worst that he held in his head, but it was almost impossible when the evidence was _right there_.

_It was all a dull blur in his head – Flickering memories, weakened from being pushed away for so, so long. The guards, charging down the hallway, draped in black and silver with their weapons out at the ready. The swords giving off loud ' chhiiingg ' noises as they smashed together, trying to fight against two well-trained men while keeping baby Emma safe in the crook of his arm. Placing the tiny bundle inside the portal, wishing her luck, and closing the door. Piercing pain as he lay on the ground, life ebbing way. Slowly… Slowly ebbing…_

David shook his head, clearing the cloud of sadness and heaviness that had begun swarming in his mind, fighting with the doubt that had long-since taken up residence. His gaze refocused to see Grumpy walking over to him, having previously been talking to a cricket that was sitting on his shoulder. " Your highness. According to Jiminy, 50 more Storybrooke folk landed not 2 miles from here. " He reported. " They're poppin' back all over the place. "  
" That's good. At this rate, Snow'll have the whole kingdom back in no time. Grumpy, you and the dwarved spread the – "  
" Hang on. Snow? What about you? " The dwarf interrupted him, and the prince inwardly flinched. He should have known he would need to explain his reasoning to pretty much the whole of the group.

" Listen, Grumpy. " David took a breath, stalling for time, thinking on how he'd word it. The knowledge of what he needed to do was more of an essence, an aura, than a train of thought. " Emma, Killian and Henry – Someone needs to get them. Emma's my daughter – It's my responsibility. It just… It must be done. It must be me. " He then stared at the much shorter man with a heavy, piercing gaze, mentally begging him to understand his reasoning. " … Okay. " Grumpy replied slowly. It didn't seem as if he truly understood, but deciding that he'd take whatever explanation he'd get.

It truly didn't feel the same without Emma. He was so used to seeing her head of beautiful blonde hair, her bright green eyes. The fire in her eyes, the determination that always spurred her on to do the impossible. That pain that had been morphed into strength that made her into one of the strongest people he knew. And, honestly, that was saying something.

It was even stranger not to have Killian around. It surprised David to find that he actually missed his egotistical, arse-y ways. It seemed so empty without his deep, boasting voice, stating something that would decidedly piss the prince off. His long pirate coat that made that rather annoying swish-swish when he moved { God, wasn't that thing heavy?! }. His persistent flirting with Emma – Goodness gracious, _that_ really ticked him off. Was it bad that he missed the most annoying things about the pirate?

He turned to see a head of dark, curled hair, and a small smile graced his lips as he saw Snow walking over to him. She stepped with the elegance and grace that he'd always admired of his wife, and within a few dainty steps she was standing in front of him. She raised a pale hand and ran her palm over his cheek, and he closed his eyes to tilt his head into its cool structuring. " I don't want you to go, " She murmured. " But I know you must. Emma and Hook – They need you. "

Never before had he felt so grateful that she were Snow White. Always the kind, gentle and understanding person, she saw exactly what he needed to do. It made it all ten times easier, to know that she understood it all. It did surprise him, however many times that she had shown him she knew him more than he did. He supposed it took a person several lifetimes to get used to a person being as wonderful as she was.

" Now, I know your plan. " She murmured, voice lowered. It seems they both agreed that they needn't announce it to the group quite yet – It would actually be ideal if he could slip away whilst not being held up by a million and one questions. " But I really don't know how you'll do it. Are you sure you know how everything will work? You'll stay safe? " Her forehead was marred by the signs of worry, and instinctively he lifted a thumb to smooth over the skin, laying a kiss on it afterwards.

" Snow – It will all be fine. I know what I'm doing. I fetch the Jolly Roger, tell the crew that I need to save their Captain or at least bargain with them. Then I just sail away, using that realm thing that the Jolly Roger does, " Good god, he was crap with magic. " I go to New York, I find them, and if I can't restore their memories then I make sure they're safe. And then I come back to you. And you… " He urged her to finish what they had talking about earlier.

" I look for a way to get back to Storybrooke, and we work from there. " Snow finished with a soft smile, and David gave a nod. " Alright. I think I have to head off before Grumpy tells everyone and I have to stay for a good week before they let me go. " It pained him to have to leave so quickly, but he needed to do what he needed to do. His daughter, grandson and Hook needed him as soon as possible.

" I love you. " Snow whispered, then dragged his head down for a kiss. It lasted several seconds, and afterwards, he rested his forehead on hers. " I love you more. " He whispered, and she smiled. " I love you most. " With that, he stepped back and swung onto the horse. He gave a soft, sad smile at his wife, then kicked the horse into motion. Snow followed the figure of him and the animal for as long as she could see him.

* * *

It was not an easy feat finding the Jolly Roger. Being the prince did have its pros, but also its cons. The easiest way to find it was through the pirate community – if you could call it that – and being of royalty was a major drawback. Distrust, tricks, unfair bargaining. All aspects of the good 8 months it took to find her. He supposed it may have been smarter to disguise himself as some sort of commoner, but shamefully, the thought barely crossed his mind as he became more frantic.

When he did have the ship – finally -, it was even more difficult to outrun the curse. He was an okay captain, but he was no Captain Hook or Blackbeard. He knew the basics, yet it took him a good month's headstart, and a kind older sailor whom had sailed under the royal flag when Snow and him had ruled, that decided to help him along if he promised to drop him off along the way.

Thankfully, David did have at least some knowledge in how to captain a ship. Being a part of the Jolly Roger's crew during the time in Neverland had been a massive bonus, and he did note some good hints from the pirate who seemed rather happy with boasting on how he was such a wonderful captain. With that small amount of knowledge, he got all the parts working, and just copied what he supposed was his movements whilst trying to steer.

Having outran the curse, it was even _more _difficult – Jesus Christ! – to find New York. It did take some mapping and docking at unnecessary, and rather ruthless ports, but he had soon located the odd destination that was the World Without Magic. It was, surprisingly, a lot closer to the Enchanted Forest than he expected it to be. It was assumed information that the lack of magic would mean a great distance, but apparently not. Huh.

All through the trip, guilt and sadness gnawed away at his nerves which were already strung tight. Being on a ship with only a meagre – and rather scary – crew to keep him company tended to do that to you. Every time he let his mind wander, it ran to the fact that he was leaving – left - his True Love behind, and his whole kingdom that depended on him and Snow. He did try his hardest to reinforce his bravery and courage with the fact he was on a daunting quest to save his daughter, Killian and his grandson. It did help, but it could only do so much.

David Nolan did find New York after some time. It took a good month or so, and the whole endeavour was going by at a crawling pace, but it was found. The whole trip had been filled with smaller, yet meaningful achievements such as finding the Jolly Roger, getting in possession of it, finding the kind old man, etc. Yet all the way through it, he refused to do any sort of celebrating. The only time that he would let himself do something as celebrating was when he found two of the most important people in his life, and Killian.

It was then that he was sitting on a park bench, watching the busy traffic going by. Up above, the bright blue sky shone through the long slender branches of the trees surrounding him, and a smile toyed with the corner of his lips. Finally. He was finally, finally, _finally_ in New York.  
It was then that he did let himself have a small celebration.

* * *

It seemed as though nothing accepted in finally being easy. It took several phonebooks and lots of asking around to finally find out where his daughter's apartment was. And then, on top of it all, he had to _find_ the place. It was just his luck that it was all the way on the other side of the city than where he was, and having a lack of money meant no taxi. Which concluded to only one thing – Walking. A couple of days, trudging his way through the thick crowds of New York who appeared to be moving in the opposite direction that he wanted to go.

Everything seemed so difficult. But David still refused to give up – He would never, ever give up. That was their little motto of the Charming family, alongside ' I will always find you '. It was ' We really, really don't like to give up '. You could probably get a pretty accurate assumption of what sort of family they were via those two little sayings. Ahh, Enchanted Forest folk. Always the cliché.

He didn't like it, but this determination did stir him on to do some stuff he wasn't really proud of. Okay, so it was tiny stuff that someone could do without batting an eyelid, but this was Prince Charming. Trying to get into the apartment block, he came across an old lady. She smiled, and he smiled back, then paused. " Um, excuse me, ma'am. " He began quietly, and she turned around. " I need to get into the block – Urgently. Please? " He asked, for lack of a better way to beg, and hoping to dear god it was enough.

The old lady seemed to think for a moment. " Well… I might be able to be convinced… " She seemed to attempt a purr, and warning bells rang in David's head. His eyes were wide in surprise, and he decided to just try to be oblivious, avoiding the hopeful look on her face. " I can promise you $100 sometime? " He suggested, and disappointment was clear on the woman's face. She just gave a nod, he thanked her, and hurried in. He turned back after a moment, watching her walking away. ' Sorry ' he mouthed at her back, then hurried in.

The first thing he supposed he should check was the mailboxes. That was an easy way – Surely people in New York didn't have the P.O boxes? He walked over to the rows of silver mailboxes in the lobby of the apartment block, and began searching them. " Jameson, Parker, Shaw, " He began whispering the surnames to himself quietly. " Wilkie, Coimbra, Maron… Jones. " He stopped at ' Jones ' his finger jolting to a stop. But, his finger was covering something, and when he moved it away, he saw a little ' + Swan ' in the corner, written in a Sharpie.

Instantly, fury began building in his chest, right at the core. Why was the _pirate's_ name written on there?! Was he trying to be possessive of _his_ Emma? He tried to see reasoning behind the fact they didn't have their memories, but it truly did naught for the anger that had rushed up to his head, making the world seem to spin. It was a familiar sensation – He felt the urge to keep Killian away from Emma, for her sake. The kiss in Neverland had eternally pissed him off. Supposedly another thing to add to the list of annoying things he missed of Jones.

He'd decided that the fury was mostly from the fact he felt responsible for the safety of Emma. And, honestly, pirates were never saints in his books, saving his grandson or not. He couldn't be there for 28 years of her life, and she got herself heartbroken for as long as she will live. He had decided the job of defending her had fallen onto his shoulders, but it was a difficult task when Killian was part of the whole thing. Bloody egotistical bugger…

With that boost of fury, he found the small amount of courage it took to take the steps two at a time, anger boosting his jumps and causing him to scale the apartment block to the high level that was the Jones and Swan apartment. But, when he raised his fist to pound on it, all of that bravery seemed to drain away. And, now, he was just standing there with his arm raised, not knowing what he should do. God, he should have thought this over more. They wouldn't remember him… Killian might beat him up…

David's worries were cut short by the door swinging open, and his gaze fell down to a much smaller figure standing at the door. It was Henry, his backpack strung over his shoulder, and eyes pretty much bulging out of their sockets. The boy had grown so, so much in a year – Wow, it was already a year? He supposed it was… - and the prince could barely move at the sight of him. After a long moment, Henry's mouth opened to speak.

" Um, mum? K-Killian? Someone's at the door. " He whispered out to the two adults, and with a piercing pain in his heart, he realised that his voice was laced with pure fear. Assumed fear – The worst kind, for the one whom is being feared. He had to stop himself from physically cringing, as not to confuse and worry the child more. Killian and Emma suddenly rounded the corner, stopping short at the sight of him.

" Who the hell are you? " Killian growled, seemingly squaring his shoulders, and Emma had this forced look of composure on her face. David resisted the urge to shoot them a 'seriously' look, for they were acting so strange, but reminded himself that he was a stranger to them. " That doesn't matter. Emma, your family need you. You need to come with me. "

* * *

**Like or nay? I did change the ending, because it didn't seem right, so the ending of Chapter 2 has been changed a tiny tiny bit. Read, review, favourite and follow, pleasssee! If you want to give me some constructive criticism, please be in an account so we can chat about it!**

**I also have a tumblr now! You can find the link in my bio!**


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